I AM WHO I AM

Chuckle: Art Linkletter saw a small boy drawing a picture. He inquired, "What are you drawing?" The boy replied, "A picture of God." Linkletter told the lad that no one knows what God looks like, to which the boy confidently responded, "They will when I get through."

Great Quote: "We are, because God is." --Emanuel Swedenborg

I AM WHO I AM

Moses said to God, "Suppose I go to the Israelites and say to them, 'the God of your fathers (ancestors) has sent me to you,' and they ask me, 'What is his name?' Then what shall I tell them?" God said to Moses, "I AM WHO I AM. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: 'I AM has sent me to you'" (Exodus 3:13-14 NIV).

I'm sure you recall the story of how God spoke to Moses from a burning bush and call him to lead the children of Israel out of slavery in Egypt. Moses began making excuses to inform God that he was not the man for the job. Moses was worried that the Israelites would not accept him and he wanted to know from God what he should tell them when they asked who had sent him to lead them. When God said tell them "I AM WHO I AM" has sent me, He was speaking to His very nature and attributes about which we yearn for better understanding.

Remember, the Israelites had been in bondage for over 400 years and had come to understand the Egyptian way of thinking. They were aware that the Egyptians had many gods and each of them was identified by name. So, in their minds, it was necessary to know the name of the God of Israel. In the Hebrew language, familiar words often have timeless meanings when referring to the God of eternity. Within the statement, "I Am Who I Am" is an identification not bound by the limits of a specific time frame. God's words could be translated, "I Am Who I Have Been" or "I Will Forever Be Who I Am Now." The New Living Translation puts it this way: "I AM THE ONE WHO ALWAYS IS." There is no time or place in eternity where God is not.

God calls Himself "I AM" to describe His unchanging character, eternal presence and unequalled majesty. In our modern world, values, morals, and laws are constantly changing, but we can find security and stability in the person of our unchanging God. It's comforting to remember that the same God who appeared to Moses and guided him through the Exodus now lives in us today in the form of His Holy Spirit. The one true God, I AM, who has revealed Himself as God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit "is the same yesterday and today and forever" (Hebrews 13:8 NIV).

God's name describes His nature and trustworthiness and we are free to follow Him and trust Him in all aspects of our lives. The same God that called Moses and gave him strength is faithful and will provide for you and me as we walk with Him. God says, "Never will I leave you, never will I forsake you" (Hebrews 13:5b NIV).

Love, Jerry & Dotse